Public Safety Administration

The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Public Safety Administration prepares students with the skills necessary to coordinate, develop, and direct the resources of a variety of public safety agencies. Courses within this program analyze the legal, political, and social factors related to public safety, and provide an overview of topics such as organizational theory, public policy, resource management, leadership, and ethics. Prior to completion of this program, students will complete a capstone project within the field of public safety administration, applying the concepts covered throughout the program.

Details

Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)
Academic Plan
Public Safety Administration (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
9303
Total credits required
120
Catalog Year
2026-2027
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Admission criteria

Entry to the Bachelor’s of Applied Science (BAS) in Public Safety Administration requires completion of, or eligibility to complete, a designated Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in a public safety-related field. Refer to BAS Plan Electives for a complete list of qualifying programs, and to eligible AAS degrees for associate-level admission criteria.

Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in each course in the program.

The BAS in Public Safety Administration is aligned with the following current Maricopa CCL and AAS awards and supports students seeking professional advancement:

AAS3181/Associate in Applied Science, Administration of Justice Studies
AAS3016/Associate in Applied Science, Corrections and Detention
AAS3205/Associate in Applied Science, Fire Science
AAS3207/Associate in Applied Science, Fire Service Management
AAS3183/Associate in Applied Science, Forensic Science
AAS3188/Associate in Applied Science, Law Enforcement Training
AAS3889/Associate in Applied Science, Paramedicine
CCL5007N/Administration of Justice
CCL5698N/Basic Corrections
CCL5699N/Basic Detention
CCL5081N/Advanced Corrections and Detention
CCL5322N/Homeland Security
CCL5987N/Law Enforcement
CCL5027N/Law Enforcement Field Training
CCL5991N/Law Enforcement Training Academy
CCL5966N/Legal Studies
CCL5392N/Victimology
CCL5557/Firefighter Operations
CCL5420/Fire Service Management
CCL5990/Paramedicine

What You'll Learn
  • Examine public administration management within the context of public safety and criminal justice organizations.
  • Analyze public policies, structures, and the social forces that influence policy utilizing research to evaluate their effect on public safety and criminal justice organizations.
  • Assess the ethical basis for public service.
  • Assess the impact of key leadership and organizational theories within public safety and criminal justice organizations.
  • Develop plans to manage complex events and incidents.
  • Analyze the role of evolving technologies and social media including their application to practices within the fields of public safety and criminal justice.
  • Demonstrate effective oral and written communication to diverse audiences as it relates to the fields of public safety and criminal justice.
Career Statistics

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:

  • Personal Service Managers, All Other

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the locations, partners, and available tracks of the award.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Note: You will have to select one of the options below to view available course sequences.

Full-time Sequence

To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include:

  • Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits)
  • Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits)
  • Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits)

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:

  • Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits)
  • Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits)
  • Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits)
  • Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits)

For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Part-time Sequence

To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include:

  • Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits)
  • Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits)
  • Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits)

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:

  • Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits)
  • Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits)
  • Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits)
  • Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits)

For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

There is no Part-time option for the Specialization 11: Paramedicine Selective Admissions pathway map option.

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 11

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 11
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 12

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 12
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 13

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 13
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 14

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 14
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 15

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 15
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 16

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 16
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 17

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 17
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits

Term 18

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 18
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Footnote

General Electives

Select courses 100-level or higher from the subjects below to complete a minimum of 120 semester credits. Consult with a faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify coursework that best aligns with academic and professional goals.

ACC+++++ Any ACC Accounting course(s)
AJS+++++ Any AJS Administration of Justice Studies course(s)
CWE+++++ Any CWE Career Work Experience course(s)
DPR+++++ Any DPR Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response course(s)
ECN+++++ Any ECN Economics course(s)
EMT+++++ Any EMT Emergency Medical Technology course(s)
FOR+++++ Any FOR Forensic Science course(s)
FSC+++++ Any FSC Fire Science Technology course(s)
GBS+++++ Any GBS General Business course(s)
HCC+++++ Any HCC Health Core Curriculum course(s)
HCR+++++ Any HCR Health Care Related course(s)
LAS+++++ Any LAS Paralegal Studies course(s)
LET+++++ Any LET Law Enforcement Training course(s)
MGT+++++ Any MGT Management course(s)
PAD+++++ Any PAD Public Administration course(s)
PAR+++++ Any PAR Paralegal course(s)
PME+++++ Any PME Paramedicine course(s)
POS+++++ Any POS Political Science course(s)
PSA+++++ Any PSA Public Safety Administration course(s)
PSY+++++ Any PSY Psychology course(s)
SOC+++++ Any SOC Sociology course(s)

Course Area Key

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award at https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=175873.

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Public Safety Administration